Consequences
by PlanA
Summary: Something's Need to Be Forgotten" sequel. Jack tries to teleport away at the end of Children of Earth but something is after him. He is forced to return to Cardiff because whatever it is wants Gwen too.
1. Prologue

**A/N  
1. Don't own Torchwood... (drat!)  
2. This full story could take a while to upload, especially since I've only just thought of a solid plotline. This poor prologue has been sitting waiting for about 2 weeks because I haven't wanted to post it without having anything to follow it up with. Anyway, ENJOY and please R&R lovely people :D**

* * *

The warm morning Sun reached Gwen through a thin gap in the curtains. She groaned, covering her face with both hands to shield her eyes and in denial at the beginning of a new day: to Gwen it felt like yesterday had only just finished. And then, as if mocking Gwen, came the irritating beeping of an alarm clock.

"Urrrgh …." Gwen rubbed her eyes with one hand and rolled over to smack the other on the clock, but instead found herself falling face first onto her living room floor.

'What the …?' and then she remembered. It was no wonder that yesterday didn't feel long enough ago; Gwen had traipsed home at 4am after a long night hunting down a very elusive alien, or rather a pair of aliens, as they had discovered after capturing the first, only to notice a second had travelled through the Rift also and was lurking around Cardiff train station.

Fortunately, Ianto had persuaded Jack that since it was thanks to Gwen they had one of these aliens locked up in the Vaults, she should go home and get some rest: she had been so exhausted and the sofa had looked so appealing. Despite spending most of the time being driven around the city in the SUV, Gwen felt unnaturally tired – very unlike her.

The monotonous beeping of the alarm persisted until Gwen dragged herself off the floor into the empty bedroom to switch it off. The red-digits flashed showing the time to be 8:00: that gave Gwen half an hour before returning to work. _Shit._

Rhys was nowhere to be seen. Gwen assumed he'd gone out with the lads the night before. This was becoming the norm for the couple; neither of them expected the other to be home so tended to do their own thing. However, this afternoon they had planned to view a house: with Gwen's increased salary from Torchwood they could afford it and Rhys was hopeful that buying a bigger house would persuade Gwen that now was the right time to start a family.

Having slumped against the bed, Gwen mustered the strength to stand up and shower, knowing that in an hour's time she'd be sat at her desk dealing with the paperwork of the new alien species they'd encountered that night.

'There's something to look forward to,' she thought to herself.

* * *

Showered and with a slice of toast in hand, the ex-police woman swung her leather jacket on, grabbed her shoulder bag and set off to Cardiff Bay.

Despite her lack of sleep, Gwen's brain was still mulling over Torchwood's latest captives. The pair of aliens had proved very troublesome to catch. They weren't the average alien (or "flotsam and jetsam" as Jack would refer to them); their arrival was very deliberate, very organised. If Gwen didn't know better she'd say they were after something.

What worried her most was that they were apparently capable of interfering with their technology, almost working themselves into it and affecting the performance. Still, that was something Gwen could investigate when she reached the Hub.

And at least, she thought to herself, she had the house viewing with Rhys to look forward: that would break the day up nicely.

Now in a considerably brighter mood and the day ahead not seeming so bad after all, Gwen quickened her walk before pausing at an ATM so she could check her bank balance.

"Come on Tyler," demanded a woman's voice down the street from Gwen, who turned, naturally curious.

"Tyler now stop it! I haven't got time to muck around."

* * *

*****INSERT CHILDREN OF EARTH STORYLINE*****

**

* * *

**

**DUN DUN DURRRRRRRRRRRRRR!**

**haha ;)  
**


	2. Chapter 1

"But they die and I am sorry Jack but you cannot just run away … you cannot run away." Tears filled Gwen's eyes as she stood in front of the man she loved.

Jack's glazed eyes stared down at Gwen and he tapped his wristband: "Oh yes I can. Just watch me."

* * *

*****END CHILDREN OF EARTH STORYLINE*****

* * *

Spinning his way through space Jack began to feel an ounce of the freedom he craved: nothing on Earth compared to what he could experience out here.

Curiously, he felt himself slowing down, like someone had attached a tonne weight and he was dragging it behind him. Jack tried to lift his arm to see whether his wristband was displaying anything abnormal but it was as though he had an invisible rope around his chest; pinning his arms to his side.

Within seconds Jack had stopped completely: he just halted, not even drifting in the vacuum. His eyes searched the blackness warily.

'Why aren't I dead?' he wondered.

Suddenley, a bright light exploded from his wristband, blinding Jack who shut his eyes tightly. He could hear hushed voices floating around him: he cautiously opened one eye before the other.

In front of him, two wispy figures were hunched together, muttering. Their torsos resembled that of a human being but in place of their legs there was just a long ghostly blue trail that appeared to extend from Jack's wristband. The strangely long necks of the aliens stretched out until they met small, oval heads.

It wasn't until the aliens turned their faces to meet Jack's that he could see their deep black eyes, penetrating his mind: he felt like he was being scanned, almost as though they were searching for something within him.

Whatever it was, they had found it. Spookily these aliens had no mouths; just stretched skin where they should have been, and yet Jack could tell they were smiling as their empty eyes seemed to gleam brighter.

One of them floated towards Jack, stopping only inches from his face.

"Recognise me, Captain Harkness?" sounded the alien's gruff voice inside Jack's head.

It was all he could do to shake his head.

"You imprisoned my partner and me about 6months ago. We were different then: that explosion damaged us."

"No way ..." whispered Jack, in disbelief - this was the pair the team had had trouble with the night before the Hub exploded. "But … you were in the Vaults?" voiced Jack, "No-one could've survived that bomb."

"No-one?" the alien asked; his amusement clear. "And yet here we are: the survivors." The second alien floated effortlessly forward, ghostly fingers interlocking with its companions'.

"We became a part of your technology: we hid within it." A sweet female voice echoed in Jack's mind this time. "Your device saved us; it's indestructible…" Her hand caressed Jack's wristband and he felt her brush over his own hand; her touch icy cold.

"… rather like its owner." The female alien moved to within inches of Jack's face, eyes studying him, as though he was a complicated puzzle that needed solving.

Jack was completely bemused by the whole situation. So far, this pair had shown no aggression and yet, there was definitely something wrong, something dark about them. They knew too much and that troubled him.

"Is there a point to all this?" Jack said, trying to sound assertive.

The aliens eyes glistened again, as they both backed away from Jack.

They spoke together: "We want your immortality."

"You what?!" Jack laughed, "You're joking, right?"

The change in the alien's expression told Jack they were far from joking, as they drifted either side of him. Now detached from the wristband, they began winding themselves around Jack's legs, trapping him even more.

"No, seriously … you can't just _take_ my immortality."

A long neck weaved itself up Jack's arm, stretching long enough that its head was level again with Jack's.

"Says who?" growled the male voice. "Have you not previously transferred your … 'gift' to other humans, thereby saving them from death?"

Jack swallowed: the last time he had tried this he had been too late and Ianto had lost his life because of it. Jack sniffed, allowing a tear to roll down his cheek, unable to wipe them away with his arms still bound to his side.

"I had a choice then. I chose to save them and it was only temporary."

"Aww," cooed the female, her neck curling over Jack's head so that her face appeared upside-down in front of him. "Such ignorance. We don't need your consent, human!"

The anger in the female's voice told Jack all he need to know so he tried to fight whatever was restraining him; fidgeting in an attempt to loosen the invisible ropes, knowing if he could reach just one button on his wrist device …

The male's cruel chuckle filled Jack's head. "Persistent this one," the male spoke to his partner, "maybe we'll take that too."

Jack wasn't sure whether the alien was joking there but he didn't care. He needed to keep both pairs of eyes on his, so that they wouldn't notice the nearness of his finger to the button that would teleport him away.

"It won't last," argued Jack; "Even if you take it all from me, sooner or later it'll stop. One day you will die and just stay dead."

"We know," replied the male bluntly. "But we've got seconds …"

Jack frowned at them – _seconds?!_ Not that it mattered to him now. They weren't going to get firsts, let-a-lone seconds.

His wristband was twisted fully, the front panel resting on his palm and now Jack could clench his fingers just about enough to press the one to get him away: ten seconds rebooting and he'd be gone.

Oblivious, the female alien continued, "We have found another. Why did you think we were so interested in your team, Captain Harkness? Two immortals! You …"

Jack felt his wristband vibrate …

"… and your unborn child."

… And then he disappeared.

* * *

**Quick but BIG thank you to reviewers and people who have put this story on alert etc. it keeps me going :D Though I must say, I am loving writing this story :P**


	3. Chapter 2

Hours had passed since Captain Jack had escaped from the clutches of his alien captors. And for the entirety of these hours, with his hands clutched around his knees, head buried in his arms, he sat on the peak of the hill he'd departed from, trying to come to terms with the last words he had heard.

So there were two immortals on the Torchwood team? Initially he thought they'd meant Owen and simply got their facts muddled. But obviously, this was not the case, based on the second immortal being his "unborn child".

Despite going over the facts again and again he kept coming to the same conclusion. Not that that solution was without flaws but it was a realistic one at least. Jack went through the two possibilities once more.

Naturally, it had to be someone he'd had sex with, which didn't exactly narrow down the options. However, he had only had sex with one of his remaining Torchwood team members and that was Ianto … enough said.

But then there was Gwen, who was pregnant … but it was Rhys' baby, wasn't it? Jack had never slept with Gwen; surely he wouldn't have forgotten something like that? It couldn't really be his, could it?

Regardless of all of this, Jack needed to make sure Gwen was safe and he would protect her. Hand shaking, Jack reached into his pocket for his phone and pressed number 1 to speed dial Gwen's mobile.

Jack took deep breaths, wanting to sound as calm as possible.

"Hello?" said a familiar voice … although not the one he had been expecting.

"Rhys?!" Jack was filled with dread. How he was going to explain this to Gwen was a mystery enough but he'd completely forgotten about her husband!

There was a stunned silence from both ends.

Finally, Rhys coughed and broke the silence: "Thought we'd got rid of you." He chuckled but Jack thought there was a small bit of genuine annoyance in Rhys' tone of voice.

"I know … so did I," admitted Jack.

Another awkward silence ensued.

"So … er, is Gwen there?"

Rhys' grit his teeth: he wanted to lie, tell Jack that Gwen was there but that she didn't need him meddling in their lives anymore, especially considering she'd soon have their baby to care for. Instead, he mumbled something about her being in bed still but that he'd see if she was awake.

Jack smiled, "Thank you Rhys."

Gwen was still in bed, but stirring slightly. If only Jack could have been there to see her reaction; never had a pregnant woman in her last trimester moved with such speed!

Snatching the mobile from Rhys, Gwen steadied herself on the door frame and put the phone to her ear.

"Jack?" she breathed.

Warmth spread through Jack's body as the old flame flared up inside him. He sighed with relief and grinned, "I'm here. I'm back."

"Oh Jack … God, it's good to hear your voice." Gwen spoke shakily, tears of welling up in her eyes.

More silence, as the angst felt by the pair vanished and the savoured the moment of realisation that nothing had changed: there was no awkwardness here.

When Gwen spoke again, her tone had changed; "Where the bloody hell have you been?"

Jack thought this an odd question; he'd only been gone 12 hours at the most! "Well nowhere yet," he replied, confused.

"What d'you mean?"

"It doesn't matter. But listen, you're in danger …"

Gwen interrupted him, "Oh Jack, I don't care! I'm always in bloody danger! Someone's always after me, I ..."

"Actually Gwen, you're more of an obstacle this time," Jack said bluntly.

"So what exactly …"

"Look can we meet? It'd be a lot easier to explain face-to-face," Jack took a deep breath; "There's something you need to know."

"Urgh, really Jack! You can't just swan back in and start making demands!"

"This is important."

"Everything's always important …" Gwen was clearly wavering. There was no denying she wanted to see Jack and yet she had been so close to letting him go.

Softening his voice, Jack took a different approach: "Please Gwen, I really want to see you."

"Oh for God's sake! Alright, you win. Rhys' isn't going to be best pleased though. Our usual place?"

Jack smiled gratefully, "Usual place."

* * *

**A/N Sorry, I know this chapter isn't exactly exciting, it's just a necessary link between two whatsits :) Next one will be better ... and if you haven't read the prequel "Something's Need to Be Forgotten" please do, else it'll make little sense :D**


	4. Chapter 3

Closing his eyes, Jack enjoyed the feeling of the sea spray on his face as he looked out over the bay: the calm before the storm. No-one came to Cardiff Bay these days; the water tower was gone and most of Roald Dahl Plass had been fenced off for repair work, after the bomb: convenient for Jack and Gwen but a bitch for Cardiff's tourist industry.

Over the sound of the wind rushing through his hair, Jack heard a man's voice, and then a woman's sharply telling the man to stop fussing. He smiled to himself: despite the reason for their meeting and the burden he had to share with Gwen, he had looked forward to seeing her, as he always did, no matter how much time had passed since they said 'goodbye'.

Slowly he turned to face the couple, Rhys' arm around Gwen's waist and holding her hand as they walked along the front towards him.

'Wow … she really _has _got big!' Jack thought to himself – bigger than when he saw on the hill yesterday. Was that possible?

A huge grin spread across Gwen's face when she saw Jack and placed her hand on Rhys' chest, signalling that she wanted to be alone.

"Nu-uh, no way," said Rhys, shaking his head.

"_Yes_ way Rhys. Please?" Gwen looked up at him with her eyes wide; she wanted this moment alone with Jack, without Rhys scrutinising their every move. "I'll be fine, I promise. It's only Jack."

Rhys scoffed, "Exactly!" but gave in.

Gwen thanked her husband with a kiss on the cheek and watched him walk away until he was out of sight.

When she turned her head to face Jack, she found he'd covered half the distance between them already and was striding out, nearly running towards her. He really was breath-takingly handsome.

'And gives damn good hugs!' she thought to herself as he wrapped his arms tenderly around her waist.

Jack held onto Gwen so tight, wishing they could both stay in blissful ignorance.

Finally, Gwen dragged her arms down from around Jack's neck; brushing her hands along his sleeves to hold his hands, her fingers interlocking with his.

"So …" chirped Gwen.

"So."

"So …" Gwen repeated, "What was it you needed so desperately to see me for?"

Jack groaned. He knew they didn't have much time before the aliens found them again, nevertheless he had been hoping to talk about something else … anything else first.

"Is there …" Jack paused trying to find the right words: "… Is there any time, day or a few hours even that you don't remember what you did?"

"That's a bit vague Jack? I mean, when I've been out drinking thinks are never clear come morning, but …"

"No … no, I mean like it's just been wiped from your memory?"

"You mean like retconned?

"Yeh, like retconned," Jack agreed, "But when it was just you?"

Gwen wondered what on Earth he was getting at? Jack could be mysterious sometimes but this as ridiculous! Obviously, her bemusement look showed on her face.

"Just answer the question, Gwen."

"Well … yeh. There was one morning, earlier this year when I woke up and I had no idea where I'd been that night."

Jack searched Gwen's eyes wondering whether she was hiding anything, but found nothing.

Gwen continued; "Jack is this relevant? What've you dragged me out here for?"

For a minute Jack was silent, carefully choosing his words.

"When I left Earth, I was … well I wasn't alone. You remember those aliens we had in the Vault the night before the children started talking in unison? They survived the explosion, by somehow working themselves into the mechanisms of my wrist strap..."

A frown appeared on Gwen's face. As though reading her mind Jack carried on, "They wanted my immortality."

"That's ridiculous!" Gwen scoffed, almost amused. "Surely, they can't just take something like that? That would be like taking your … your stubbornness!"

Jack rolled his eyes - trust Gwen to pick something negative.

"Well that's more-or-less what I told them. But that's not what's important. Seconds before I managed to teleport away, they told me there were two immortals on the Torchwood team: that's why they were so desperate, so focused on us."

There was no reaction from Gwen, who had no clue who this second person could be. A while ago, she'd have guessed Owen but now …

Jack's palms were sweaty; he'd never been this nervous before. Normally, it was the woman who told the man she was expecting his child, not the other way round.

"Gwen, they told me the second person was an unborn child …" He stared meaningfully at Gwen, who realised instantly; she looked down at her bump, brushing her hand over her stomach.

"But how …?" she muttered.

Gently, Jack placed his hand on top of Gwen's, interlocking his fingers with hers before looking at her face for any sign that she had understood.

"The second immortal is your baby, Gwen …" Jack too a deep breath: "O_ur_ baby."

* * *

**A/N  
Sorry this has taken SO long. I moved to uni this week so been either busy socialising/asleep/intoxicated ;) I have to say, not massively happy with this chapter, bit too cheesy/predictable and I had planned for it to be much longer but I just felt I should get something posted asap to keep you lovely people coming back. Next chapter will be quicker and better, promise :)**


	5. Chapter 4

Gwen laughed. A mixture of disbelief and confusion, not to mention all her hormones playing up. What else could she do?

She clutched Jack's hands in hers. "Jack, sweetheart, I know we've had our moments, you and I …" Gwen paused as memories of a few close encounters with Jack flashed through her mind; "… but there's certain things that need to happen to make a baby …" she spoke patronisingly, thinking Jack had gone a bit mad in his time away, yet becoming more and more disconcerted by Jack's silence.

"Jack, we never have; we've never had … well you know, we've never done … you know, _that," _Gwen stammered, becoming embarrassed.

All Jack could do was sigh. The answer to his earlier question - Gwen knew of one night during which she couldn't remember what she had done – was still bubbling in his mind. Of course, as yet there was no way of confirming what had happened, but Jack was prepared to bet a lot of money, it had been spent with him.

"Have we, Jack?" Gwen snarled at him, urging a response: her impatience and sudden doubt evident.

Jack looked at her, placing his hands on her shoulders, desperate to put her out of her misery; but one thing was still unclear in his mind; one thing still didn't add up. Then he remembered something odd Gwen had said when she spoke to him on the phone: "Where the hell have you been?" she'd asked, as though he'd been away weeks, maybe even months.

"Of course!" he hissed, having to refrain from screaming the words out.

"How long has it been since I left Gwen?"

Gwen was silent for a moment, becoming more and more infuriated with Jack's hot-footing from subject to subject.

"How long?!" he repeated.

"Two months," she stated bluntly.

'YES!' Jack thought to himself. It all fit now: that's why she was so pleased to see him, that's why she looked so much bigger than when he'd last seen her: 2 months has passed! Jack clenched his fist in triumph - finally all the pieces in the puzzle fit together.

Gwen watched her friend curiously, as the look of glee turned to one of panic, like a dark cloud had settled behind his eyes.

It had just dawned on Jack that Gwen was now in her 9th month of the pregnancy, which left him with very little time to persuade Gwen that he was telling the truth: that she really was carrying his baby.

He'd paused for too long and Gwen snapped: "For God's sake, Jack! What the bloody hell is going on? There's no point in me staying here if you're just going to sit there keeping me in the dark!" Gwen shuffled out of Jack's grasp and tried to stand but couldn't muster the strength.

"The 5th of February."

Gwen snorted, glancing briefly at Jack, who as far as she was concerned was getting weirder by the minute. Climbing to her feet, she felt his hand grab her wrist firmly.

"The 5th of February. That's the day you woke up not knowing what you had done that night before."

'OK, now that _was_ weird,' Gwen thought. "Urm yeh. Jack, how …"

"Because when I woke up that day I was totally oblivious to what I did that night …" Jack released his hold on Gwen's wrist and stood up opposite her, "… or who I'd spent it with."

* * *

The only sound was of the wind - rushing in off the sea, whooshing through Jack's coat and whistling over Gwen's leather jacket. The pair sat once again on the bench, arms around one another. Gwen's head rested on Jack's chest, relishing in the steady movement as his breathing became deeper.

Neither had spoken since Jack's revelation. Presuming Jack was right in saying that one night of passion between the two of them had resulted in this pregnancy, then there was a part of Gwen (an ashamedly large part) that cursed being unable to remember it. On-the-other-hand, this meant it wasn't Rhys' … 'Oh God.'

"Prove it," Gwen demanded.

Jack smiled obligingly and reaching for his phone, he dialled Bridget Spears' number.

* * *

**A/N  
Sorry again that this is short but I did warn people it'd be coming in drips and drabs. My social calendar is packed at the moment. Also inifinite early morning uni intro talks don't help. Anyway enjoy chapter :)**


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N: I am SO sorry this has taken so long. Uni is not a good place for fanfic writing in the SLIGHTEST! Please enjoy. Hope it hasn't been so long that people have lost interest :(**

* * *

The black chopper hovered over the bay; taking some battering from the fierce winds. It took some minutes for the pilot to lower the helicopter enough to allow Lois Habiba to jump out. Brushing her hair from her face she waved thanks to the pilot, who was clearly displeased about being lumbered with this journey: understandably many of the Home Office employee's were still held grudges against Torchwood.

"Over here!" called a man's voice.

A tall figure strode towards the young woman: his Great Coat flying out behind him. The man extended a hand in greeting, "Captain Jack Harkness."

"Good to finally meet you in the flesh, Captain," replied Lois, shaking his hand.

Jack smiled slightly, "Sorry to seem rude, but I wasn't expecting err ... you?"

Lois felt slightly insulted. "Well Bridget is snowed under with work at the moment."

Jack rasied his eyebrow unconvinced.

"OK. She isn't sure whether she can face you: brings back too many memories ... so you're stuck with me."

The Captain gave an appreciative smile but his eyes had drifted to the black satchel that was hanging over Lois' shoulder.

"May I …"

"GWEN!" Jack was interrupted by Lois running off towards the heavily pregnant woman, who was sheltering under the bridge that crosses the neck of Roald Dahl Plass.

"Look at you!" squealed Lois, her voice being distorted by the raging wind. She wrapped her arm around Gwen's neck.

"When are you due? Can't be long now?"

Gwen shook her head, "Only a week to go." Despite everything, she was unable to suppress a grin.

"Aw! You must be so excited! How's the father-to-be?"

The smile vanished from Gwen's face as quickly as it appeared and she looked nervously past Lois to Jack as he approached them: Lois felt a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry Lois, I know it's been a while but we really don't have that much time." Jack held out his hand again; and clasped the strap of the bag when Lois past it to him.

"Are you coming, Gwen?" he said, more like a statement as he turned away from them tucking the bag under his arm.

"Jack?! Where are we going? We can't just leave Lois here: she's come all this way."

"We're going to need some privacy, Gwen," he looked at her solemnly. "I've spoken to a friend of mine and he says he'll let us use his flat for a few hours while he's at work."

Gwen stood stubbornly next to Lois and linked arms with her. She was going to need to support to get through this – physically and emotionally.

"Oh fine!" Jack had tried arguing with a hormonal Gwen before and he knew from experience that it would get him nowhere. Instead, he ran to the road and hailed a taxi before turning back to the women straggling along behind.

Jack rolled his eyes, "In your own time."

* * *

A high pitch ting resounded down the corridor; the doors barely getting the chance to open before Jack raced out of the lift, stopping at the last door on the right. He rummaged in his pocket for a key and placed it in the lock.

"Shit ..." muttered Jack when the key refused to budge. "Here Lois," he said shoving the bag into her arms: "Make yourself useful."

Jack stepped back from the door; taking a deep breath he kicked his leg up high. The hinges tore easily from the door frame.

"JACK! I thought you said this was your friends flat?" Gwen called to Jack who had already dashed into the flat, leaving the door rattling on the floor behind him.

Lois trod carefully over the door to hand the bag back to Jack who took it without making eye contact. "He is. Well was. Long story ..."

'_Isn't it always,_' thought Gwen.

"... he's an ex. Can't say I'm surprised he changed the locks. Don't blame him really."

The two women perched on the sofa in the living room of the flat as Jack leant over a table. He removed one of the old Torchwood laptops from the bag, flipping the lid and turning it on. Having tapped in passwords, Jack returned his attention to a collection of disks which he'd also taken from the bag.

"5th February ... 5th February ..."

Jack's froze as his eyes met with a disk labelled 'Security Camera 5. 05/02/09'

"Gwen?" Jack turned, looking at Gwen for the first time since they'd left the bay. "You asked for proof ... here it is," he said, slipping the disk from its case and sliding it into the laptop. He watched Gwen as she rose from the sofa and took a seat at the table next to him.

"I'll erm ... be on my way then," said Lois, realising that this was a private matter and the pair were going to need time to themselves.

"Lois!" Jack shouted, "Thank you." Lois nodded back to him, appreciating the brief smile she received from the Captain.

Jack placed his hand on Gwen's shoulder, "Right ... are you ready?"

Gwen looked up at him and gave his hand a squeeze.

Reaching over Gwen, Jack tapped the play icon.

* * *

**A/N: Have had half of this written up since mid-November. Once again, so sorry it's taken so long. I've barely had time to do uni work let alone this! I would like to get this finished before I return at the weekend but I really can't make any promises. Hope this is OK, very out of practice :S**


	7. Chapter 6

The disk in the laptop emitted a slight whirring noise as the image on the screen shuddered momentarily and flashed to black. All that remained to be seen there now was the fuzzy reflection of two stunned, wide-eyed faces. The man and woman slowly moved back away from the screen, utterly speechless.

Despite what they had just witnessed both were surprised, and a little ashamed to find they were actually quite aroused by the video. _Although_, Gwen thought to herself, _who wouldn't be_? She'd just seen herself make love to the man sitting next to her, pretty passionately too.

Jack Harkness seemed to be echoing these thoughts; letting a low whistle escape his lips as he sighed and slumped into the chair. It was Gwen. Gwen had retconned him – he hadn't expected that: and not only that but she was the one who initiated the nights proceedings. He hadn't expected that either.

A few seconds passed before either moved. Jack turned first to look at Gwen, with a whole new kind of respect for her. He had just seen himself have sex with this incredible woman only for her to rip his heart out not long after. Not that he could remember any of it of course, but to watch himself go through it still hurt.

Gwen became aware of Jack staring at her. She had retconned him? _You bitch_, she thought.

The silence seemed to drown out all the noises around them, almost as though her and Jack were encased in it. Gwen took a deep breath and counted down in her head; _3, ... 2, ... 1_. And nervously, she turned until her eyes met Jack's. She searched his face for the rage and fury she had been anticipating but it wasn't there. In fact he looked like he wanted to laugh ...

... Jack couldn't help but want to laugh. This was so ridiculous. He had decided there was no use in arguing about it. Both of them could've stopped what they were doing that night but neither of them did and now they were suffering the consequences. _This is one of the worse case scenarios to come from having unprotected sex_, he thought to himself.

"Well ..."

"Jack ..."

Now he let himself smile, "... I don't think either of us saw that one coming"

Gwen slapped him.

* * *

Jack touched his hand to his tingling cheek; sure that it was bright red now. Immediately regretting her outburst, Gwen stood up, scraping the chair across the floor. He hadn't deserved that – if anything Jack was the victim here.

"Jack, I'm sorry," Gwen muttered, with her back to him.

"So am I." Jack stood up and approached Gwen. "I'm sorry for the danger I've put you in," he said, placing his hands comfortingly on Gwen's shoulders. "If it weren't for me you'd be sat happily at home," he paused and swallowed "... with Rhys."

"Blissfully ignorant," Gwen scoffed, looking down at her bump. "If it weren't for you I wouldn't be having a baby. And you? You would be the soul prey of those aliens. You can't face them alone - you need me, Jack." She turned, taking Jack's hands in hers and finally allowed herself to smile.

"So ... what are we going to do?" she asked.

Before Captain Jack could open his mouth to respond three unexpected things happened all at once:

... a man appeared in the doorway and stood amongst the splinters of what used to be his front door with a look of pure astonishment on his face

... two white ghostly figures smashed through the window at the other end of the flat

... Gwen's waters broke.

* * *

**A/N**

**I will be astounded if anyone is still interested in this story as I haven't updated it for like 18months which would be a shame but it's my own fault. Way too busy with uni life but now I'm slap bang in the middle of a 3 month unemployed summer holiday so I'm back on the writing game :)**

**Hope this is alright ... not too convinced, only took a few hours to write it ...**


	8. Chapter 7

**This is a very short chapter just to kinda keep you guys interested. It is also the penultimate chapter of this story - dun dun durrrrrrrrrrr! Although it may take a while - I've had this story idea for years so I wanna do it justice. Enjoy :)**  
**ps. Heads up any Gavin & Stacey fans!**

* * *

Jack didn't know where to look first. All he knew was that he had to act fast. If these aliens got hold of them or worse got back into his vortex manipulator then they were trapped and all three of them were goners ... No wait, all four of them were goners. Jack corrected himself remembering his ex who had just chosen the most inconvenient moment to return to his flat.

Oblivious to the two extraterrestrials also intruding in his flat, Owain Hughes strode out towards Jack with no intention other than to punch him in the face.

The alien pair were glowing a ghostly white; their transparent bodies trailing off in a wisp of pale blue, as they locked their deathly black eyes onto the remaining members of Torchwood. The male alien spoke, its raspy voice echoing inside the heads of the humans. Owain halted his stampede, his fist only feet away from Jack's face.

"You have lost Jack Harkness. The baby is on its way, we've got both of you exactly where we want you." The male turned his head to his partner, "Our wait is over, my love."

The female cocked her head eerily, "But what of the other human? We have no use for him."

"Take him."

"NO!" Jack cried, but he couldn't have saved him. The female alien was onto Owain in a matter of seconds – standing around him with her arms spread wide, engulfing him in her transparent figure. Jack could see through her body, Owain was rigid. His mouth was stretched wide open as he screamed a silent scream – his eyes were wide and bright but behind them he was dying. A light began shining all over his body; the female contained it within her as if she was absorbing his life energy.

The alien cried out in pleasure as the last of Owain's body dissolved into light. She stretched out her overly long neck even further and shuddered.

"They're just not the same, these mortals." She turned to Jack, "We need to consume one every few hours if we are to sustain ourselves. But you immortals, well you are something else entirely." Her eyes flickered, menacingly a signal for her husband to glide over and join them.

Gwen couldn't move. Panic had frozen her to the spot as it dawned on her that it was happening – she was going into labour.

If they had mouths with which to smile, the alien couple would've been smiling now that they had two immortals within their grasp. The aliens glared menacingly as they closed in around the humans. Jack had only seconds to act – throwing his arms protectively around Gwen he flipped open his vortex and they vanished.


	9. Chapter 8

**So here it is. The probably not so grand finale. The storyline seemed a great idea but it was a bit difficult to write.**

* * *

Gradually, their surroundings came into focus. Jack placed his hands firmly under Gwen's arms and pulled her slowly but firmly to her feet. She felt dazed; everything had become a blur from the moment her waters broke – landing with a thump on the hard concrete in some bizarre version of Cardiff seemed to have brought her back down to Earth. Literally.

Wherever they were, it looked completely different to the day they had left behind – they had just left rainy November but wherever or whenever they were now it was bright and sunny. They had landed on a street corner: to their left on the opposite side of the road was a row of tall 3 story houses that continued down the street for as far as the eye could see. Jack was staring up at the red brick building in front of him and squinted at the road sign on the side of it.

"OK that sign says, Grey... Grey ... something Road."

"Greyfriars," Gwen stated, not looking at the sign but down at her bump.

"That's the one! So that means ..." he grabbed Gwen's hand and turned her round to point up at the building behind them: it was the Cardiff New Theatre, its recognisable red-brick exterior curving around the corner. Although somehow it didn't quite look complete.

"Jack ..." Gwen began, "... why does that poster say 'August 1975'?"

"Congratulations Gwen Cooper, you've just lost your time travelling virginity," said Jack and beamed at her.

Gwen stared disbelievingly at the Cardiff New Theatre, 35 years younger than when she saw it last. Stood on the spot trying to take everything in, she suddenly felt her stomach cramp and she reflexively doubled over.

"Time travel sickness, not surprising it being your first time," said Jack, absentmindedly.

Catching her breath, "It's a ... Jack I think it's a contraction. I think our baby's coming."

Panic filled Jack from head to toe. He hadn't mentioned it to Gwen, but pregnant women freaked him out; ever since he got pregnant all those years ago, he's never quite been able to look at one in the same way.

"I'llcallanambulance," he mumbled all at once and ran off.

* * *

After successfully finding a telephone box, Jack returned within minutes to find Gwen sitting on the pavement, legs stretched out with her back against the wall of the New Theatre, looking completely bewildered.

"They'll send someone over as soon as they can," he tried to smile reassuringly at Gwen, "Have you had another ... you know?"

Gwen nodded her head. It shouldn't be happening this fast – contractions weren't supposed to be this close together this soon: she explained this to Jack.

"Maybe time travel speeds up labour ... hey, they could start prescribing it!" Jack chuckled but Gwen wasn't impressed.

After a few minutes of awkward silence, Jack plucked up the courage to speak again, "So ... the hospitals only a few miles away, I'm sure they won't be long." He paused for a reaction but Gwen just stared out on the street, concentrating on taking deep breaths. "You know that was the first time I've ever called '999' – I guess I've really never needed to. Never wanted to either – can you imagine what they'd do to me?"

Gwen opened her mouth to reply but was immediately struck by another contraction and she moaned in pain.

"Ja-a-a-a-ck," her voice was shaky, "We are safe, aren't we? B...because I don't think this baby is going to wait. Those aliens back in ... in the present, what happened to them?"

Jack shrugged; he had wondered the same thing but reckoned he more-or-less had it figured out: "I'm not really sure, but if I were to make a guess I'd say they were lost somewhere in the time vortex. You see this thing," Jack said, tapping his vortex manipulator, "now it has its own source of energy but when it time travels it needs that little bit more so it drains the energies around it too, an extra little boost ... and those creatures are made entirely of energy so they were prime material! Does that make sense?"

"Not really."

"It's ok. I think I can guarantee you they won't be able to reach us over 30 years in the past."

Gwen managed a feeble smile but it was cut short by another much longer contraction.

"Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh" she grit her teeth trying to bear the pain.

Just as Jack was beginning to think he was going to have to help Gwen deliver this baby right here on the pavement, he heard a familiar whirring noise and within seconds a white van with an orange stripe came round the corner and screeched to a halt.

Two men hopped out of the ambulance – both dressed in a smart navy blue uniform with silver buttons.

"Alright miss, how are you feeling?" asked one of the men, cheerily, in a strong Welsh accent. "Come on, up you get." Gwen was too tense to reply but accepted the arms of support from the two men as they helped her in to the ambulance.

"You coming too, 'Dad'?" asked the ambulance driver?

Captain Jack's felt his heart skip a beat; he had been so occupied with trying to escape the aliens he hadn't had to time to think about what that video had really revealed and it was only that he realised he was about to become a father – to Gwen Cooper's child too, who'd have thought it?

Slightly shakily he stepped into the ambulance and closed the doors behind him.

* * *

"'I'll leave you three alone," smiled the midwife and left the room.

After a painful but relatively short labour, Gwen had given birth to a baby girl shortly before midnight on the 5th August 1975.

They looked like a proper family – Jack, Gwen and the baby, all on one bed in a less than private maternity ward. The little girl was being looked on adoringly by her parents; Gwen cradling her and Jack stroking his hand over the thin layer of black hair on her head. It was just perfect.

* * *

The next afternoon, an exhausted but cheerful Gwen and Jack left the hospital with their new baby. They started walking away and reached the road outside the hospital...

"Jack we have nowhere to go!" exclaimed Gwen, although almost laughing that this hadn't occurred to her before. She had worse things to worry about before; like aliens stealing her baby.

"Well we do, we can go back home? Back to 2011?"

"OH MY GOD RHYS! I told him to go home and wait for me, and we've been away ... I don't know how long we've been away. And he's missed the birth! Of his own dau ..." _Oh no_, Gwen realised, _how can I go back to Rhys and present him with a baby which isn't even his, after 9 months believing it was?_

"Ah," was all Jack could manage to say. He considered the options for a while, "I wouldn't interfere if you didn't want me to, Gwen? Or if you were worried it'd all come blurting out ... you could always retcon me again?" Jack said this light-heartedly, teasing her.

"It's not you I'm worried about Jack, it's me, my conscience. I know it'll all come out one day, years from now, in some ridiculous soap opera-esque way."

Jack chuckled feebly and pulled Gwen in for a one-armed hug, kissing her on her cheek.

"I don't know what you should do Gwen but maybe for a while at least, can we just enjoy ... this?" he said, bending over and giving the baby a kiss on the forehead. "You think that's a good idea don't you little one?" he cooed at her.

"Alice," stated Gwen, "I think we should call her Alice."

Jack was speechless.

* * *

**I hope everyone gets that ending :) Sorry it's not as good as I'd hoped, sorta lost heart in it after so long from starting it :(**


End file.
